It took me a little while to get into this book, there was a lot of information between many characters--including lots of nicknames from when they were teens which was annoying to decipher at times.

The plot was enticing to a point, the ending was better than the first 3/4 of the book. The writing is beautiful, easy to read. I just couldn't get into the whole back and forth between the characters, the changes in timeline almost every chapter and the diary that had been kept.

The ending was fast paced, it tied everything up but it was anti-climatic. We sort of know what happened at the beginning of the story, there was probably only one sort of surprise factor at the end (who did it) but it didn't seem thrilling? Maybe it's just me but it should've been far more dramatic.

Still a nice read!

3.5/5

The Midnight Feast is a classic Lucy Foley - dark and twisty, with some great plot twists.
Unfortunately this didn't quite hit the spot for me, the beginning didn't grip me instantly and I found it to be a slow build. Whilst the ending had some satisfying twists it felt underwhelming compared to her other publishing.
3 stars.

This was a gripping read, I thought the characters were intriguing and I'm going to keep an eye out for more from this author.

Another 5 star read! I devoured this book! A little slow to start but all of a sudden it had me hooked and I needed to know what was going to happen! The characters are very believable and each person came across relatable and overall well written. Get this book added to your list for your summer reads! It’s well worth it!

Lucy Foley is an auto-buy of an author for me. I’m loving her resurgence as a psychological thriller writer. She is solidifying herself as an author to look out for, up there with Lisa Jewell and Alice Feeney, having created a solid backlist of pacy, suspense reads. The Midnight Feast is just another read that can be added to her impressive list of accruing suspense novels. For me, this book was a sure hit. I devoured it in two greedy gulps over a weekend unable to put it down.

Having read other reviews, I know a few readers found there were too many narratives and flashbacks to keep track of but that wasn’t a problem for me. If anything I loved the back and forth, and multiple cast of POVs. It added pace and intrigue, especially to see what secrets the characters were keeping from each other.

We have now/present narrative which follows residents of this small town in Devon discovering a dead body. It’s the usual the detectives come, and little clues are sprinkled to build up suspense in terms of who might have died. This is a narrative that Lucy employed in her previous novels like The Hunting Party and The Guest List. This part of the story was a bit cliched and predictable at times but these chapters are short and added a burst of quick pace and suspense.
Then you have the main narrative which follows four main characters: Eddie, who is working in the hotel; Francesca, the pretentious owner of the hotel; Owen, her husband; and Bella, who has history with Francesca. About a quarter of the way through Bella finds her teenage journal dating about fifteen years ago and we start to see how the storylines connect.

If you suspend your disbelief a little and don’t overthink the coincidences (which there are some), you will enjoy this. It is a solid, escapist thriller read that is satisfying which wraps up nicely tying all the loose threads. Yes, some of the characters are unlikeable but that’s the point of the book. Francesca, especially is the embodiment of privileged, white feminism whose entire business image as this “calm, with nature lifestyle guru” is a facade that satirises the all-organic-food-and-drink-come-to-my-retreat influences/youtubers. Maybe it’s a question of taste but I love unlikeable characters if they’re written well with a bite. I loved the folklore horror aspect too of the birds. There’s a creepy, broody atmosphere to this story. This was an easy five stars from me.

The Midnight Feast is set on the Dorset coast where guests have assembled at The Manor for a midsummer solstice party. There is tension between the locals and incomers and a rich/poor divide. There are a lot of characters in the story, many with assumed names so it is not always easy to keep up. I love the different timelines and the many POVs, showing how past deeds affect the present. The author conveys a menacing atmosphere throughout, particularly with references to local folklore, the Birds and horrors in the nearby woods.
An atmospheric, pacy read with lots of twists and turns and a dramatic ending.
Highly recommended.
Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for an arc. All opinions are my own.

I absolutely loved this book. I couldn’t put it down.
Set in the Dorset Coast on the opening weekend of an exclusive hotel, The Manor. On the Sunday morning the local police are called. There’s been a fire and a body has been discovered.
It’s dark, twisty, full of drama, secrets, lies and murder with a feast of suspects and motives. It keeps you guessing right to the end.
It’s told through multiple POV’s and dual timeline. The story flows very well with descriptive writing. The scenes with the birds are very creepy. I loved the intrigue and the woodland and seaside setting.
The characters are well written and believable. I enjoyed learning how the characters were connected and their backgrounds.
Overall, a brilliant atmospheric entertaining read. Definitely recommend. If you like murder mystery thriller you’ll love #TheMidnightFeast.
I can’t wait to read @lucyfoleyauthor next book.
With thanks to #NetGallery #HarperCollinsUK @#HarperFiction for an arc of #TheMidnightFeast in exchange for a honest review.
Book publishes 6 June 2024.

This book is like a chocolate bar, I had to read it in sections because I was desperate not to finish it too quickly, what a rollercoaster of a read, I thought I knew where the plot was going, but then Lucy delivered another twist. This will make an amazing beach read.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advance copy of this book with no obligation to review.

You know you are in good hands with Lucy Foley - nothing to set the heather on fire, nothing particular to ponder, simply a good solid thriller. This one has some slight supernatural elements and I would have liked to have learned more about the Birds.

The characters are well drawn and believable, especially the rich, entitled ones. There a couple of good reveals which I didn't see coming and it all ties up satisfactorily at the end.

Well written, well plotted and good to read but not, I suspect, very memorable in what is, after all, a very full genre.

3.5 up to 4.

For fans of locals vs millionaires, multiple POV, dual timelines and genuinely creepy moments this book is definitely your cup of tea.

Francesca Meadows has opened a wellness retreat/hotel and opening on the summer solstice means she can have the opening party of her dreams. But what if her past were to be at the party too? Francesca has built this hotel in her Grandfather’s old house in Tome a small coastal town. Everyone knows everyone and they don’t like new things.

I loved the setting and hearing how the locals felt about the development, this added so much to the myth and history of the area.

I did find this book very creepy in parts and this certainly gave the atmosphere it needed to keep me reading late in to the night.

Foley is very skilled at multiple POV and while there were a few people to keep track of it felt seamless to me.

I would find it hard to believe this book wouldn’t go down well with any reader.

I received this book as an ARC from netgalley in return for an honest review, which this is.

🍝THE MIDNIGHT FEAST🍝

⭐⭐⭐⭐

@lucyfoleyauthor 's new book did not disappoint!

Swipe for synopsis👉🏼

💭
In true Foley style, there are multiple POVs, unreliable narrators, and different timelines. There are lots of characters in this book who have secrets and act very suspicious. I wouldn't say this is as fast paced as other books by this author but it definitely picks up. From about half way through, I was hooked and sooo intrigued as to how it was all going to end!

The woodland and seaside setting of the new hotel was perfect. Somewhere that should have been relaxing but had an unsettling vibe.

I really enjoyed discovering how all the characters were connected and their backgrounds shaped them.

Midnight Feast kept me guessing right to the end and it's a book I definitely recommend adding to your tbr if you're a thriller fan! 🔪 It's out on the 6th of June and would be a fab summer read!

Thank you @netgalley for letting me read this eARC✨

A decadent Gatsby like house party meets The Wicker Man! Lots of interesting twists in this tale told from the contrasting viewpoints of the main participants as we discover that the events of an idyllic Summer 15 years ago have repercussions in the present day. Are The Birds an imaginary product of local folklore or a real threat to the ghastly Francesca whose visions for her hotel retreat run roughshod over their traditions? I enjoyed this mystery enormously as it built up towards the eponymous solstice feast. The ending tied things together neatly and offered the hope of redemption to some of the more deserving characters.

I always look forward to a new book by Lucy Foley as have really enjoyed her last three books.

The Midnight Feast is an exciting twisty tale, based on opening day of the very exclusive Tome Manor on the south coast of England.
The book flits back and forth between the past and the present. There are various points of view from different characters of when they grew up in the village as children and now much later as the Manor opens as a luxury wellness retreat for the very well off. The book flows very well with great descriptive writing putting you right in the thick of the location and able to imagine it well with lots of twists and turns and of course there's also "the birds" that give it a very creepy and haunting atmosphere. Is everything as it seems?

The pace was a little slower than her other books but still a really great and fun summer read. The book really came alive half way through.
My lower rating is for the slower pace and I found one of the of the main characters a bit overbearing.

A big thanks to HarperCollins UK, HarperFiction | HarperCollins for the e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

Raced through this in a few hours, I couldn’t put it down. Loved the horror elements and the neat ending, and the weaving of realisation scattered through the book.

I absolutely loved The Midnight Feast, it’s a spectacular read! Going back and forth between the then and now seemlessly, & with such wonderful characters it’s a joy. The writing is superb, the storyline wonderfully intriguing, a real page-turner and highly recommended.

A gret compulsive read, a thriller with many twists and turns, which kept me gussing all the way through as to what was going to happen next and who was responsible for what did happen. In places it covered local feelings and politics in a very realistic way.The ending was almost totally unexpectd and such a joy to end in such a way.
This is Lucy at her best

This was my first time reading a Lucy Foley novel and I have become a fan!

4.5 stars!

The story starts ominously when a body is discovered. Right off the bat, we know that something happened and slowly, we unravel all the secrets. All the guests gather at "The Manor", a luxurious estate in the middle of the English woods in rural Dorset. They are hosted by their beautiful and elegant hostess, Francesca Meadows, along with her husband Owen Dacre, the architect behind this extravagance.

The story follows three timelines and multiple characters. I was thoroughly engaged throughout. In the beginning, trying to make sense of who's evil was difficult. None of the characters were nice humans (other than Eddie). It was written in a way to make the innocent ones seem like the villain. Then slowly, as we read their povs, we start to realize who the real villain is.

Throughout, it successfully maintained the ominous tone. There was this foreboding sense that something is about to happen (which we already know does happen). Having the main timeline take place in a matter of two days added to the urgency. It was a jam packed book with a lot of twists and turns, designed to make you think you outsmarted the book, only to have the rug pulled out from under you.

I love the fact that a lot of local lore was weaved in. The town was known to believe in 'The Birds' who avenged any grievous wrongdoings. It had a paranormal feel to it. It added to the horror of the woods.

It also highlighted the debate between locals losing their beloved woods to profit mongers who aim to destroy the natural beauty to line their pockets. It illustrates the anger and resentment of locals when they are restricted to enter their own woods because the rich take over to build luxurious cottage core estates. But when their livelihoods are stolen from them, they are forced to work in these same estates to earn a living.

Francesca really focused on the aesthetics. Plus, she was one of the crystal girlies who cleansed herself using the power of black crystals. During her spa session or rather, when she was in the Orangery (because spa doesn't sound sophisticated enough for the rich), I felt sure that this book is deep in the trenches of witchcraft and voodoo. Thankfully, I was wrong. Whatever I may complain about Francesca's attitude, she had a strong business acumen. She focused on every small detail and knew how to present a perfect picture. She carefully cultivated the image of the Manor and it played the role of a setting perfectly. I was transported to the scene reading it.

I didn't enjoy the fifteen years ago timeline as much. Though it was necessary to set the background for the characters, I found their actions quite boring and repetitive. All the kids did was sunbath, look down their nose, take a walk in the woods and repeat. Only towards the last diary entries did my heart start thumping.

Two characters believe they are redeemed in the end. The author also makes it seem like what they did was okay but it's not. They may not have been responsible before but they became responsible when they stayed silent. They might never be completely free from the blame despite the final events.

Overall, quite a lot of twists and turns. Whenever I thought I predicted something, another twist was thrown that ended up blowing my mind and proving me wrong. I had a great time reading this. Highly recommend.

Special thanks to NetGalley, Harper Collins and Lucy Foley for the DRC. Highly appreciated!

Lucy Foley delivers yet another twisty thriller full of drama and intrigue. Some twists I saw coming and others I didn't, but every second of this book was spent on the edge of my seat! Definitely one I'd recommend to anybody who loves a murder mystery.

I received a copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review

Title: The Midnight Feast
Author: Lucy Foley
Publication Date: Jun 06 2024
Rating: 4/5 stars

Thank you HarperCollins UK, HarperFiction, Netgalley and Lucy Foley for an advance copy of The Midnight Feast in exchange for an honest review.

A Lucy Foley's trademark story telling with a classic whodunit: you know what happened but do not know who it happened to, how, why, or when. The story is told from several POVs, and the author gives each one a distinct voice. The way the plot turned out did not disappoint!

The story is set around The Manor, an opulent estate tucked away in Woodland Hutches that is intended to offer its esteemed guests a tranquil refuge. At the Manor, the owner Francesca Woodland is preparing a spectacular summer solstice feast. Despite her outward appearance of being a confident and devoted owner, Francesca harbors secrets and a dark past.

Overall, I had a great time reading this book, despite some unexpected issues. I could mostly follow the general plot, but there were just too many characters, many of them unimportant. Let me also add that there was a lot of timeline jumping in this book, which could make it challenging for readers to catch up. However, the incredible reveal when everything came together more than made up for it! If you like twisty thrillers with a hint of the supernatural or folklore, I'd suggest reading this book!

If you like twisty thrillers with a hint of the supernatural or folklore, I'd suggest reading this book!

Rating: 4.5

An intriguing storyline, with multiple POVs and a well tied together ending.

While the multiple POVs took a little time to get used to, once the diary excerpts were included, everything began to tie in very nicely together. With two different timelines as well, a lot of thought was put into how things were written to prevent confusion and keep interest.

I adored Eddie, his innocence compared to the rest of the character POVs showing through. The twists with the character relationships were surprising, Lucy Foley keeping some of the reveals from us until a specific moment that's just right.

This was my first Lucy Foley book, and I think I'll go and read her other works now.